The Gems and Jewellery Skill Council of India (GJSCI) and the Surat Diamond Association (SDA) have signed an MoU to train diamond artisans for overseas jobs, says a report.

As per the MoU, initially, GJSCI would enroll 30,000 skilled workers. Since the artisans are already in the industry, they will have to undergo training as per global standards, upgrading skills with latest technology. Around 30,000 skilled diamond polishers would undergo written and theoretical exams for getting a valid certification as 'skilled diamond artisan'. This certificate will be issued by Government of India (GOI) under the National Skill Development Corporation (NSDC), adds a report.

The report further adds that Surat in particular and Gujarat in general is a low-cost diamond cutting and polishing centre where the artisans are paid wages between $10 per carat to $50 per carat, while the diamond artisans abroad earn $60 to $300 per carat. There are around 4.5 lakh workers in the diamond industry of which only 30% are skilled artisans while others are semi-skilled.